Completing Your Visa Application

Completing Your Visa Application

Applying for an F-1 visa may seem like it may be too hard for you to do on your own, but we are here to help! At American English Language School, we want to do our best to help students not feel stressed about the application process. Coming to the United States on your own can already feel terrifying, so we want to alleviate any unnecessary confusion. 

Before you can apply for your F-1 visa, you will need to be accepted into a SEVP-approved school. Schools will have different requirements for you to apply and be accepted, but you will typically need to submit copies of your passport, a recent bank statement, and a high school diploma. Schools will also require you to submit an application form either on paper or digitally. 

After you have been approved by your choice of school, you will receive your I-20 form and acceptance letter. You will also receive your I-901 SEVIS receipt if you requested your school to pay it for you. You have all of your required documents, so what now? 

You will need to have your documents provided by your school, passport, and the dates of your last five visits to the United States ready for the first part of the visa application process. To begin, you will need to fill out the DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application form. The form is submitted electronically and should take around 90 minutes. 

When you first click on the website, you will need to select the location where you will be applying for the visa. You will also be asked to submit a code to move on. You will then receive your application ID and answer the security question. 

As you are completing the form, make sure that you answer all of the required questions. You will need to answer all of the questions in English and only in English characters. The only exception will be when you are asked for your full name in your native alphabet. Only questions that are marked as “optional” should be left blank. If you leave mandatory questions blank, you will not be able to submit your application. 

If you do not have time to submit your application all at once, you may save your progress and return to it within 30 days of starting. However, make sure to write down the application ID that you received when you began your application. 

After you have reviewed your application and made sure that all of the answers are correct, you will need to electronically sign your application, submit it, and then move on to the next step of the visa application process.


Tagged: English Language School in LA, English Language School in Los Angeles

Published on March 29, 2022

A leading English language school accredited by the CEA (Commission on English Language Accreditation) and approved by SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) located in Los Angeles, California. Learn English in LA with our ESL classes, TOEFL preparation, and English speaking classes. Are you serious about improving your English? Join a class today!